A small victory for the environment.
Sep 19th, 2008 by Dani
It’s a proud day at Chez KP. Son and Heir manged to ride his bicycle all the way to (and from) his swimming lesson. Which is of course where I work. So post-school holidays, I won’t have to drive to work on Wednesdays anymore. Because Son and Heir comes with me on Wednesdays.
photo by Edu-Tourist, some rights reserved
The impetus behind this sudden surge of biking prowess is a change of heart by the parental figures in Son and Heir’s existence. Long story short, throughout the year, we accepted places at two schools for Son and Heir to start at next year. We had decided to send him to the closer Catholic primary school. We just hadn’t let the further away public school know this yet. Which was lucky given that I woke at 2am Tuesday morning with the sudden conviction that we had made the wrong decision. So the Bread Winner and I talked and decided that the further public school was in fact the way to go. Now that decision feels better. Not that there is anything wrong with closer Catholic school. It’s a great school. I like it a lot (despite the heathenism I have embraced and dragged my Ankle BIters up in), I just don’t love it. I love further public school.
Now to get back to the biking issue. The school we have (finally) embraced with open, loving arms is 5km from home. Safe bike routes abound. Thing is, 5km is a long ride for a boy who is not quite 5. Most of his friends can’t even ride a two wheeler sans training wheels yet. So he is determined to practice his long distance riding. He has managed 2.5km with relative easse so far. The pool is 2km away. My plan to raise Ankle Biters who don’t immediately think of a car as a means of transportation is moving along nicely thank you.
So that is our victory.
Now, do you want to hear about dinner? Or did my educational saga bore you witless? Don’t answer that, I’m feeling fragile.
photo by Joi, some rights reserved
Asian Style Chicken Noodle Salad
adapted from Tossed by Jane Lawson
serves 4 - 6
250g bean vermicelli noodles
1 tablespoon rice bran oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2cm piece ginger
1 fresh red chilli
1 tablespoon laksa paste (optional)
6 free range chicken thighs (minced in thermomix for 20 seconds on speed 6) or 500g free range chicken mince
juice 2 limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
1 cucumber, diced
1/8 Chinese cabbage, finely shredded
1 red capsicum, diced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
- Cover noodles in boiling water and leave to stand for 5 minutes or until softened. Drain and cut with scissors into short pieces. Set aside.
- In a frypan, heat oil and saute garlic, chilli, ginger and laksa paste for 2 minutes. Or, cut in a thermomix for 7 seconds on speed 8 and saute at 100 degrees for 2 minutes on soft speed.
- Add chicken to frypan and saute until browned. Or add to thermomix and saute at 100 degrees for 5 minutes
- Add lime juice, fish sauce and chilli sauce. Saute for another minute.
- Toss chicken mixture through noodles and leave to cool.
- Toss cucumber, cabbage, capsicum, spring onions and coriander through and serve.
yum! i want something like that tomorrow! i think i forgot to buy cucumber though
or at least i can’t find it.
is the way fairly flat? will you ride with him? i think our school is closer but uphill all the way (andi don’t have a bike and am a very bad rider). i’m not sure when we’ll let ryan ride on his own.
by the way i’m sure you dont mean “pubic” school really lol
karen aka brazens last blog post..some new links…
It must be the spring air Dani; we’ve been testing our riding endurance (and mum’s legs - I don’t own a bike) the last few weeks. D rode 6km one arvo and was in the foulest mood that evening, poor little mate. A 5km trip might take a bit of working up to, but gee it’s a lovely way to shake out all the mainstream schooling crud out of your psyche! I’ll stop right there hey
Ems last blog post..Classic Mint Jelly
Hurrah! I take my (witch’s) hat off to you for both cycling and salad endeavours! 2.5kms…that’s impressive staying-power for a not-yet-5 year old.
Docwitchs last blog post..More sewing…(and a pirate’s life for me)
So it’s more chicken and noodles with a little veg tossed in, is it? Sounds pretty tasty.
Where’d you get the laksa paste?
Nates last blog post..Big List of "Things You Must Eat" Lists
Karen there is a flat route and a hillier route. The hillier route is actually preferable (totally road free bike path) but we’ll start with flat. I will be with him on my bike (with Lil Miss on my bike too). I’ve ordered a trail gator to hook up his bike to mine when he gets tired. I can’t imagine letting him ride by himself until grade 5 at least. Hmm, must fix that typo LOL.
Em 6km is brilliant going for D. I can imagine his state of exhaustion. The school we settled on is less mainstream than the other. Has quite a few features that appeal to my inner hippy LOL. Which is not to say that there won’t be things that make me crazy of course.
Docwitch I was impressed with my little guy as well. He’s a sporty one.
Nate that’s basically it. The original recipe was just the noodles, chicken and flavourings. I added the veg to make a more complete meal. The laksa paste is the remainder of some I made a while back.
Well, I loved the educational saga!
Only until you have to live it Fig. Then it’s a nightmare!
Hello Dani! I just passed an award along to ya.
: )
Docwitchs last blog post..Happy Spring Solstice
Well done to the small one.
Wish my teenage stepsons would think more forwardly.
Lovely blog - came over via Docwitch’s awards ceremony.
Well, well done to the S&H, who can manage 2km farther than me! I can barely make it to the end of my street. I suppose the answer is practice…
I’m loving the series of warm salads!
Phillippas last blog post..First Ripe Mulberries
Docwitch - thank you muchly. I’m all flattered.
Lucy - welcome. Can teenage boys think forwardly? I’d like to see that!
Phillippa - practice is the key! I’m loving the warm salads myself, I’m glad I’m not the only one.